18.8 C
Byron Shire
March 28, 2024

Nude Olyimpics for Byron?

Latest News

Man charged over domestic violence and pursuit offences – Tweed Heads

A man has been charged following a pursuit near Tweed Heads on Monday.

Other News

Records galore!

Byron Bay Easter Record Fair returns again to Ewingsdale Hall. Now in its 15th year, the Byron Bay Easter Record Fair is one of the biggest and best in this country. Matt the Vinyl Junkie has spent years on buying trips to the US and Japan scouring dusty warehouses, shops, flea markets and private collections. He can offer an astounding 30,000 records in one place covering most genres.

Iconic Lennox beach shed upgraded –  not demolished

Lennox Park and the shelter shed has now been upgraded and reopened.

Cinema: Wicked Little Letters

Based on a true scandal that stunned 1920s England, Wicked Little Letters centres on neighbours Edith Swan and Rose Gooding in the seaside town of Littlehampton.

We just love him!

If you’re over 50 you might not be a fan of Tom Jones, but you can bet your mum is. If you’re under 40 you might not even know who he is, but your grandmother probably wet her pants at the mere mention of his name.

Safety and preparation saves lives on the water

A large number of boaters are expected to hit the water over the Easter long weekend and Marine Rescue NSW is reminding boaters to be prepared and log on to the Marine Rescue NSW app.

‘Smooth stroking’ Rainbow Dragons earn trophies

Rainbow Dragons (Lennox Head Ballina) won three trophies and had a fantastic weekend of fun, fitness and friendship at Grafton Dragon Boat Club’s regatta earlier in March.

Nude Solstice Swim
Nude Solstice Swim

From Shopping in the nude and the art of the naked protest to cycling in buff the Byron Shire has a long history of nudetastic events. Soon the Shire may be adding the Nude Olympics.

Previously held in Noosa, Alexandria Bay, the naked sports day has previously attracted large crowds of around 600 people. ‘It is all a bit of fun,’ said Stuart Whelan, public relations officer of the  Australian Naturist Federation (ANF). ‘It’s more like what you’d find at a Sunday school picnic. There’s tug of war, an egg and spoon race and three legged races.’

Alexandria Bay has hosted naked events and bathing for over 60 years and the Nude Olympics has previously been promoted on the local council’s website. However, Queensland state government laws do not allow for legal nude beaches and an increase in police issuing fines in the area for wilful exposure lead to a decrease in numbers for the event last year. ‘Previously we had support from the local life saving club but they have said they can no longer participate as they can’t be seen to support an illegal activity,’ said Whelan.

This years event, planned for March, is now unlikely to take place leaving many people from South Australia and Victoria disappointed as they have planned their holidays around it each year.

‘Since the crackdown over the last 12 months in Alexandria Bay lots of people from Brisbane who used to go north have started to head to Byron Bay,’ commented Whelan. ‘One response could be similar to the NSW solution where local councils have the right to designate local beaches for nude bathing.’

If a solution can’t be found to facilitate the event taking place in Noosa then it is likely the event will be cancelled this year and they will have to move it.

‘We want to do it properly with all the necessary processes,’ said Whelan. ‘This past weekend we had an event at Samurai beach above Newcastle (NSW) with 500 people. We made sure we had all the approvals from National Parks and Wildlife etc.’  

The Echo will continue to keep abreast of developments and inform its audience about this titillating and ballsy event that might be heading your way.

Previous articleA grand farewell
Next articleProtect dolphins

Support The Echo

Keeping the community together and the community voice loud and clear is what The Echo is about. More than ever we need your help to keep this voice alive and thriving in the community.

Like all businesses we are struggling to keep food on the table of all our local and hard working journalists, artists, sales, delivery and drudges who keep the news coming out to you both in the newspaper and online. If you can spare a few dollars a week – or maybe more – we would appreciate all the support you are able to give to keep the voice of independent, local journalism alive.

12 COMMENTS

  1. Yes, nudity is a very natural and non-sexual thing. The trouble is that there are some many highly sexualised messages in the world that people forget that not being covered by clothes can be normal.

  2. I wouldn’t plan ‘nude olympics’ for Byron Bay yet, judging from the wowser uproar over lingerie ads on a bloke’s van and petitions to banning the Wicked campervans. Some advanced societies have no probs with nudity and risque fun, but this society haven’t arrived there yet. We still have the ayatollahs of prudery running the show.

  3. There are dozens of nudist guesthouses here, such as mine, that send thousands flocking to Byron.. Its about time for a nude olympics. Lets kick it off at the tea tree lakes at Tyagarah, then down Belongil. It might put off the huge push by developers trying to beige down north byron to Tyagarah. It might also slow the infestation of prudes trying deperately to change the tolerant and free spirit of our shire by installing more Nats. The prudes wont run the show if we stand up to them.

  4. Maybe they should call it Bums in Byron . Seeing all the original surf bums that lived there have been squeezed out by soaring real estate prices courtesy of the celebrity invasion . Maybe they should have been heritage listed ( Surf Bums ) . They are now a highly endangered species in Byron , got to be seriously cashed up to park your Bum in Byron these days naked or not .

  5. Here is South Australia, the nude Olympics were run for years at Maslin Beach. Incredibly, the IOC (International Olympics Committee) threatened to sue the organisers over the rights to use the word “olympics”. Yes, believe it or not. So they had to change the name of the (continuing) event as Maslin beach. So anyone wanting a “nude olympics”up there would inevitably come a cropper with the “authorities” over the name. The following comments (below) should suggest a name for the proposed event on the North Coast.

    • Hi.Christopher.
      I would like to know. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HELP YOUR COMMUNITY??? Please don’t mind to share.

      To me, Nude Olympic Games really an healthy lifestyle event which bring all Nudists in the world together and in addition, it helps to contribute the economy in Australia.

      Nudism bring peaceful, love, safety, interest and benefits to Byron Bay City.

      We should support them!!!

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Where should affordable housing go in Tweed Shire?

Should affordable and social housing in the Tweed Shire be tucked away in a few discreet corners? Perhaps it should be on the block next to where you live?

Making Lismore Showground accessible to everyone

The Lismore Showground isn’t just a critical local community asset that plays host to a number of major events each year, but has also been used as an evacuation centre during past natural disasters in the region. 

Iconic Lennox beach shed upgraded –  not demolished

Lennox Park and the shelter shed has now been upgraded and reopened.

Govt cost-shifting ‘erodes financially sustainable local government’

Byron Shire Council looks set to add its voice to the growing chorus calling on the state government to stop shifting responsibilities and costs onto local government.